New Delhi: China actively supported Pakistan during the four-day military confrontation with India in May and used the conflict as a “live laboratory” to trial its weapons, Deputy Chief of Army Staff Lt Gen Rahul R Singh said on Friday.
Speaking at an event organised by industry body FICCI, Lt Gen Singh said Beijing employed its age-old military strategy of using a “borrowed knife”—a reference to one of the 36 classical Chinese stratagems—to hurt India indirectly by backing its close ally, Pakistan, PTI reported.
“Rather than engaging directly on the northern front, China used its neighbour to inflict pain on us,” Lt Gen Singh said. “Pakistan was at the forefront, but China provided full support. This was expected, as over 80% of Pakistan’s military equipment in the past five years has been sourced from China.”
The senior army official, who oversees the Indian Army’s capability development and sustenance, also pointed to the growing involvement of Turkiye, noting that the country played a significant role by supplying drones and military equipment to Pakistan. “We saw multiple drones being deployed during the hostilities, along with other foreign elements present on the ground,” he added.
He emphasised that India had to contend with not just Pakistan and China, but also Turkiye’s growing role in the regional military landscape.
Referring to the recent India-Pakistan clashes, Lt Gen Singh highlighted that India’s leadership sent out a strong and clear strategic message. He said that target selection during Operation Sindoor, launched on May 7, was based on extensive data.
